In various applications certain electrical loads are critical to the mission of the facility. To illustrate, in the case of retail establishments, an example of such critical loads are the network of computers that provide for the retailers point of sale (POS) system. Other types of facilities such as industrial production facilities or hospitals have other types of critical loads. To minimize the disruption to the operation of such facilities as a result of the failure of the utility electrical system, the critical loads are typically provided with backup power sources.
Examples of such backup power sources may include a standby generator or uninterruptible power supply (UPS), although other systems—such as motor-generator sets—may also be used. Additionally, such backup power sources may be used in conjunction with one another. For instance, a UPS may be used to provide power continuity for a load that cannot be disrupted at all. The UPS may then be backed up by a standby generator, which can provide power through a longer duration outage of the utility power system.
Problems have been observed in such installations in that various users of such facilities may inadvertently compromise the backup power system. Although new systems are started up in an optimal state contemplated by the facility design engineers, over time it is likely that the overall critical electrical system will change without regard for the critical equipment. For example, beverage machines may be added to the facility and plugged into UPS outlets because the connection was easy and did not require an electrician. Space heaters may be added to cash register areas during cold weather. Floor buffers may be plugged into critical circuits during maintenance routines.
When unnecessary equipment is installed on critical circuits, the overall impact of any single device being placed on the system may be considered non-invasive, but the additive effect of the overloads can jeopardize the operation of all equipment, including the critical loads, if the UPS system is overloaded. Unexpected loads can also lessen battery run time in the event of a power outage. Ultimately, these situations result in interrupted operations that result in revenue losses for the facility.
In addition to protection of the critical electrical system, it is also frequently desirable for a facility operator to be able to collect information about a number of separate facilities at a single location, for example an operations center. At present, there is no system available that allows for monitoring and protection of a number of critical electrical systems at a single location or for monitoring a single system at various locations, thus providing additional impetus for the system described herein.
The present invention is, therefore, directed to overcoming or at least reducing the effects of one or more of the problems set forth above.